The present invention relates to a lash adjustment assembly which is effective to reduce clearance between teeth of gears in a vehicle steering apparatus.
It has previously been suggested that a lash adjustment assembly could be provided in association with gears of a vehicle steering apparatus to compensate for gear tooth wear. This suggested lash adjustment assembly includes a nut which is rotatably mounted in a recess in a sector gear. A force transmitting member is mounted in the recess and has external threads which engage internal threads on the nut. A helical spring is connected between the nut and the force transmitting member to continuously urge the nut to rotate relative to the force transmitting member.
In the suggested lash adjustment assembly, a ratchet mechanism is connected with the nut and is effective to hold the nut against rotation until the sector gear is rotated to an on-center condition. When the sector gear moves to an on-center condition, the nut is released for rotation relative to the sector gear. Rotation of the nut moves the sector gear to reduce clearance between teeth on the sector gear and teeth on a mating gear. A steering apparatus having this construction is disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/905,172 filed Aug. 1, 1997 by Wendell Lee Gilbert and entitled "Steering Apparatus" (Attorney Docket No. TRW(RG)-3268) and assigned to TRW Inc.